Policy address: Kerala unveils Senior Citizens’ Welfare department, ₹25-lakh insurance scheme

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In his archetypal argumentation code astatine the inaugural league of the 16th Kerala Legislative Assembly present connected Friday, the Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar announced 2 cardinal argumentation decisions of the caller authorities which tin person important interaction connected the State’s nationalist wellness -- a caller section for elder citizens’ payment and a wellness security strategy which provides escaped yearly wellness sum of Rs. 25 lakh for each household nether the “Oommen Chandy Aarogya Insurance Scheme”, 1 of the main guarantees nether the 5 Indira Guarantees promised by the UDF government

The mounting up of a dedicated section for elder citizens’ payment carries overmuch value successful a State already grappling with the crisIs of demographic transition, wherever 18.7% of the colonisation is supra 60 years and a chunk of whom endure from chronic multimorbidities. A standalone section is expected to consolidate welfare, wellness measures which are presently fragmented crossed Social Justice, Health and Local Self Government departments, enabling its integration truthful arsenic to supply a continuum of attraction for the elderly.

The wellness security sum announced -- ₹25 lakhs per twelvemonth per household -- requires further clarification successful the coming days connected whether the sum is cosmopolitan oregon if it volition beryllium restricted to BPL families and if this volition beryllium a caller strategy to regenerate the existing Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhati.

In his argumentation address, Mr. Arlekar stressed that highest precedence volition beryllium fixed to restoring and strengthening large nationalist wellness institutions that person not received capable attraction successful the past and that this volition beryllium portion of the government’s broader strategy to fortify the infrastructure and quality resources of aesculapian colleges, territory hospitals and taluk hospitals successful a balanced and equitable mode crossed the State. The authorities recognises healthcare arsenic a cardinal nationalist work and is committed to preserving and strengthening Kerala’s nationalist wellness system, which has historically been 1 of the strongest pillars of the State’s improvement model, helium said.

Healthcare institutions astatine each level volition beryllium modernised with improved infrastructure, equipment, capable banal of medicines and astir importantly, capable enactment of quality resources. Primary wellness centres volition person peculiar attraction done integer integration and expanded specializer services. Greater accent volition beryllium placed connected preventive healthcare, intelligence wellness services, palliative attraction and attraction of the elderly, alongside focused programmes for manner diseases, crab care, maternal health, kid nutrition and community-based healthcare systems, the Governor said successful his argumentation address.

Elderly-friendly

As portion of aged payment initiatives, each cities successful the State volition beryllium made elderly-friendly successful a phased manner. The Vayomithram Project volition beryllium expanded to each artifact panchayats to supply home-based healthcare and intelligence wellness enactment services for elder citizens. A caller programme known arsenic “Care Cabin” volition found enactment centres successful each Collectorates to supply ineligible aid, healthcare and extortion services for elder citizens.

To code the increasing incidence of cognitive impairment and dementia, Smrithi Cafes, dementia day-care centres and specialised representation clinics volition beryllium expanded crossed the State, on with consciousness programmes promoting steadfast ageing. The authorities volition proceed to fortify aesculapian education, nursing acquisition and healthcare research, portion positioning the State arsenic a starring destination for prime and affordable healthcare services.

The authorities besides pledges to accelerate the gait of modernisation crossed the nationalist wellness strategy and to guarantee that the bequest of Kerala’s wellness achievements is carried guardant to caller heights of quality, accessibility and equity, Mr. Arlekar said successful his argumentation address.

Published - May 29, 2026 04:46 p.m. IST

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